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Looking for easy ideas to decorate plastic containers? I have shared quite a few ideas for how to decorate plastic bins on the blog—everything from chalkboard paint to decoupage. But what if you don’t want to do anything complicated? Here is a simple idea you might enjoy. Note that this idea is for decorating clear plastic storage totes.

1. Start by measuring the sides of your plastic bins – whichever sides you want to decorate. It could be just one side in front, or it could be every side—that is up to you.

2. Next, cut out pieces of cardboard to fit the sides in question.

3. Get some pretty paper of some sort. It could be wrapping paper or some other decorative type of paper—or it could even be paper that you yourself have decorated in some way. You could for example draw or paint or write on the paper, which would allow you to create elaborate personalized designs.

4. Use tape or glue to cover the cardboard pieces with paper. Make sure you get the paper to lay flat against the cardboard. You only need to cover one side of each piece of cardboard, since only one side will be visible through the clear plastic of the storage totes.

5. Now, simply insert the pieces of cardboard inside your plastic bins.

6. In some situations, you may find that the cardboard stays in place fine on its own. But if it keeps falling over, you should find a way to attach it firmly. Double stick tape may work well for this. Just use it in inconspicuous places, maybe around the edges or corners.

That is all there is to it. The benefits of this method for decorating your clear plastic storage tubs are:

• You do not need to do any gluing, painting or sealing of your plastic storage bins.
• Supplies needed for this project are minimal.
• Skills needed for this project are also minimal.
• You can put as much or as little time and effort into this project as you’d like. If you go with some pre-made paper, you could be done in minutes. But if you decorate the paper yourself, it could be an all-day project.
• You can customize the look of your bins to your heart’s content.
• You can easily switch different panels in and out of your bins, changing their look from time to time. This is a quick, fun and easy way to completely fresh the décor in a room.
• Since this is a very easy decorating project, it is something that you could even do with your kids.

Clear plastic storage totes may not look awesome when you buy them—they are designed for practicality, not for appearances. But there is so much you can do to jazz them up. I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial, and that you now have a lot of ideas for decorating your plastic bins using cardboard and paper with fun colors or designs!